Amonia smelling plaster....???

[ambience]

Hi, I hope someone can help me! I'm trying to sell my flat and what seems to be putting people off is the smell of ammonia (its definately not urine as the place is empty and the wall the smell is coming from is a partition wall up the side of the stairs and it doesn't reach the ceiling). It seems to be the plaster along the bottom of the wall.... when I paint over it the paint flakes off but the smell seems to be continuous. The house is Victorian and this is a 2nd floor flat. I have been told that ammonia based plaster was used years ago to hold off the curing process?? Is there anything I can do? Either a special paint or do I need to re-plaster it???

 

[marshman]

You might get away with a sealer primer paint, I would ask the mod's to move the post to the decorating forum.

 

[Nige F]

try a small tin of Zinsser primer sealer - the shellac based one on an area - if it works buy a big tin ££

 

[joe-90]

Ammonia is a gas that dissipates when the solution it is held in evaporates. There is absolutely no way that could linger for a hundred plus years. You also say that the paint peels? You need to pull up the floorboards and see what is going on. Something is wetting that wall and it smells like wee? Then the odds are it is wee. Bet you've got a leaky soil pipe. Or (and I've come across this) next door have a dog that wees on that wall.

 

[ambience]

Ammonia is a gas that dissipates when the solution it is held in evaporates. There is absolutely no way that could linger for a hundred plus years. You also say that the paint peels? You need to pull up the floorboards and see what is going on. Something is wetting that wall and it smells like wee? Then the odds are it is wee. Bet you've got a leaky soil pipe. Or (and I've come across this) next door have a dog that wees on that wall.

Thanks for your comments, though there is no pipe above (the wall is just a partition wall up the side of the stairs and it stops where it meets the landing) and the neighbours are against the solid wall the other side or the stairs. The soil pipe is in a different area too, plus the fact the flat has been empty for a few months and no water used, the whole thing seems bizarre.

 

[ambience]

try a small tin of Zinsser primer sealer - the shellac based one on an area - if it works buy a big tin ££

Thanks... I know the one... the expensive one!! lol Will do and if it doesnt work then I may just have a go at new plasterboard!!